Tree Inventory

A Native Tree and Biological Inventory of the City of Atascadero was completed in 2007. The Inventory was a long-term joint effort between the Atascadero Community Development Department and the Atascadero Native Tree Association. The study was initiated to create an inventory of existing tree resources to serve as a baseline for tree cover in the City, to evaluate regeneration of native trees in the City, serve as a point of comparison with future conditions, and to support management decisions. Tree mitigation funds financed the cost.

The Inventory was completed in January 2007. Briefly, these are the findings:

Coast live oak woodlands (6,544 acres) and annual grasslands (4,475 acres) are the two most common land cover types of vegetation in the 24,344 acres project area. Urban types (5207 acres) are the 3rd most common vegetation type.

Coast live oak and bay laurel are regenerating.

There is almost no regeneration of valley and blue oak.

Atascadero’s woodland cover originated mostly at the same time and is dominated by large old trees. Fewer young trees are present.